It’s January in Dearborn. Salt stains on the floor, slush tracked in from the driveway, and my 1950s brick house looking like a Michigan winter crime scene. Perfect testing conditions for the iRobot Roomba Plus 504—and after analyzing 60+ verified owner reviews, I can tell you this vacuum-only robot delivers where it matters most. The LiDAR mapping is fast and accurate, the self-emptying dock holds up to 75 days of debris, and pet owners are calling it a “game-changer.” At $379-$549 on sale, it’s a compelling upgrade from older Roombas—but the app needs serious work, and multi-story homes should look elsewhere.
Here’s the thing though—iRobot’s had some rough years. The company’s been struggling while Roborock and Dreame ate their lunch. The Plus 504 feels like a genuine comeback attempt. This Roomba? It mostly rewards that patience, with a few French-car-style quirks you’ll need to work around.
The Bottom Line: Should You Buy the Roomba Plus 504?
Yes, for single-floor homes with pets. The Roomba Plus 504 excels at what most people actually need: reliable vacuuming with LiDAR navigation that doesn’t require babysitting, a self-emptying dock that genuinely means weeks without maintenance, and strong pet hair performance. Based on 60+ owner reviews, satisfaction runs high—around 75% give it 5 stars, with most complaints centered on app quality rather than cleaning performance.
No, if you have multiple floors. This is the deal-breaker the product description doesn’t make clear: the Roomba Plus 504 does NOT store multiple floor maps. If you planned to carry it upstairs for a second cleaning zone, you’ll be mapping from scratch each time—or returning it like Benjamin Davis, who called out “inaccurate description of the model’s capabilities” after discovering this limitation.
| Category | Owner Consensus | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum Performance | Strong suction, thorough coverage | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| LiDAR Navigation | Fast mapping, accurate room detection | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Pet Hair Handling | Excellent for multi-pet homes | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Self-Emptying Dock | 75-day capacity, genuinely hands-off | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| App & Controls | Functional but unintuitive, buggy | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Multi-Floor Support | Does NOT store multiple maps | ⭐ |
| Value on Sale | $379-$549 is competitive | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Key Strengths: What Owners Love About the 504
The positive reviews cluster around a few standout features that genuinely deliver. Here’s what 60+ owners consistently praised:
LiDAR Mapping That Actually Works
Gone are the bump-and-wander days. The Plus 504 uses LiDAR to map your home in 10-30 minutes, creating accurate room layouts that you can name and customize. Owners compare it favorably to older Roombas that took hours to figure out a floor plan—or never really did.
“It mapped my entire 1200 sq ft apartment in just a few minutes and the vacuum quickly went to work. The setup was quick and intuitive.” — Igor K, verified owner
“The mapping abilities are amazing—it literally creates a 3-D map and over time will even include representations of your furniture.” — CM, verified owner
The Smart Clean feature uses this map to adjust cleaning intensity by room. Multiple owners noted it spends more time on high-traffic areas automatically—though the exact algorithm isn’t documented, and some found it mysterious.
Self-Emptying Dock: The Real Game-Changer
If there’s one feature that converts skeptics, it’s the AutoEmpty dock with 75-day debris capacity. Owners with pets and kids report going weeks without touching the vacuum—it just runs, empties itself, and keeps going.
“I have 2 dogs and 2 kids, so this thing is a HUGE time saver and the fact it holds 75 days worth of dirt is AMAZING.” — Lee A., verified owner
“The self-emptying dock is a total game-changer. I used to have to empty my old robot’s bin almost daily, but now it just empties itself and keeps going. It really can go weeks without me touching it.” — Logan R. Jamieson, verified owner
- AutoEmpty Dock
- The self-emptying base station uses suction to pull debris from the robot’s bin into a disposable bag. iRobot claims 75-day capacity, though pet owners report closer to 30-45 days with heavy shedding. The dock is louder than the vacuum itself during the 10-15 second emptying cycle—plan accordingly if you schedule night runs.
Pet Hair Performance
Pet owners dominate the positive reviews. The dual rubber brushes resist tangling, and multiple owners with dogs, cats, and multi-pet households report excellent results across hardwood, tile, and carpet.
“I have 4 dogs and it always returns to its dock when finished. It’s great for picking up pet hair and dust. Makes my life a ton easier.” — Ronda, verified owner
“I have a dog and 2 cats and it works great. Easiest one so far to set up and charging is super fast.” — Tammy L., verified owner
Quieter Operation
Compared to older Roombas (and especially the notoriously loud S9), the Plus 504 runs quietly enough that owners use it while home. Multiple reviewers called it “much quieter” and “not offensively loud.”
“Not to mention it’s so much quieter, which I’m sure my downstairs neighbors are happy about. This is certainly a HUGE upgrade from my previous vacuum.” — Mike B, verified owner
Where It Falls Short: Real Owner Complaints
No product is perfect, and the Plus 504 has documented weaknesses that appear consistently across negative reviews. Here’s what to know before buying:
The App Is Frustrating
This is the most consistent complaint. The iRobot app works, but owners describe it as “crude,” “not intuitive,” and “buggy.” Features that should be simple—like scheduling or editing room names—require multiple taps and trial-and-error.
“The Ap is very crude and weak in functionality and usability. I give it a 2-star rating. Because it was not intuitive or very diversely functional.” — Mary Miller, verified owner
“The app that actually controls the 504 is absolutely horrible. It comes with no documentation whatsoever. Add to that the fact the app is not in the least bit intuitive, and you have a very frustrating learning curve.” — Bill, verified owner
Multiple owners mention the app lacks basic documentation—you figure things out by stumbling through menus. iRobot needs to seriously improve this.
No Multi-Floor Map Storage
This is the critical limitation iRobot buries in the fine print. Despite marketing language suggesting parity with other 2025 models, the Plus 504 does NOT save multiple floor maps. If you have a two-story home, you’ll need to re-map every time you move it—or buy two units.
“Despite the description on Amazon and iRobot website, the 504 does NOT store multiple maps like the other 2025 product line models. If it does not support multiple maps, do NOT post on your website that it has the same capabilities as the rest of the new product line.” — Benjamin Davis, verified owner
This prompted at least one return and multiple 3-star reviews from otherwise satisfied customers.
Large Homes May Have Issues
Several owners with larger floor plans (~1200+ sq ft) report the robot can’t complete a full clean on one battery charge. When it returns to dock to recharge, it sometimes “forgets” where it left off and starts over—leading to incomplete cleaning or all-night runs.
“Each time the roomba would get halfway thru the map then need to go recharge the battery. After recharging it resumed vacuuming but all prior progress on the map was lost and the vacuum would start over at the beginning of the map. This has to be an error in the software.” — Mary Miller, verified owner
The workaround: divide large spaces into smaller room zones and clean them sequentially rather than running “clean everywhere.”
LiDAR Height Limits Furniture Access
The LiDAR sensor sits in a raised “turret” on top of the robot. While this improves mapping accuracy, it means the Plus 504 can’t fit under low furniture that older, flatter Roombas could access.
“The addition of the LiDAR ‘hat’ also means this robot isn’t able to get under furniture as readily as previous models—one of the reasons I loved my previous roomba was it got under all of my furniture with ease.” — CajunLady, verified owner
Occasional Navigation Hiccups
While most owners praise the navigation, a minority report the robot getting “stuck” or “lost” in open areas, claiming to be blocked by obstacles that don’t exist. These seem to be edge cases, but they’re worth noting if you have complex floor plans.
“These things get ‘lost’ or ‘blocked’ by obstacles that don’t exist constantly requiring you to reset the robot manually.” — CajunLady, verified owner
Dock Placement Matters
The dock needs to sit on a hard, flat surface for reliable docking. At least one owner with primarily carpet reported the vacuum struggles to return to base properly, requiring manual placement for charging.
“The home base must be set up on a hard surface floor or the vacuum won’t return to the base properly for recharging.” — Blissful1, verified owner
Performance & Real-World Testing
Based on owner reports across 60+ reviews, here’s how the Plus 504 performs in actual homes:
Cleaning Power
The suction is consistently praised as powerful—multiple owners note it picks up dust, pet hair, and crumbs their old Roombas missed. The dual rubber extractors handle pet hair without tangling, and the edge-sweeping brush gets into corners effectively.
“The suction is powerful enough to actually lift pet hair and dust instead of just moving it around, and the LiDAR mapping is spot-on.” — Logan R. Jamieson, verified owner
Floor Transitions
The Plus 504 handles transitions between hardwood, tile, and carpet smoothly. Multiple owners mention it climbs onto rugs without issue and automatically boosts suction on carpet.
“It had no problem getting over the large threshold into my kitchen! It also doesn’t just ram into things when navigating.” — Mike B, verified owner
| Floor Type | Performance | Owner Feedback |
|---|---|---|
| Hardwood | Excellent | Picks up fine dust and pet hair |
| Tile | Excellent | Handles grout lines well |
| Low-Pile Carpet | Excellent | Auto-boost suction kicks in |
| Area Rugs | Good | Climbs easily, may push lightweight rugs |
| High-Pile/Shag | Fair | Some navigation issues reported |
Obstacle Avoidance
The LiDAR prevents wall-banging and furniture collisions, but it doesn’t identify small objects like cables or shoes. Multiple owners report the robot can drag cords or push lightweight objects around.
“The obstacle detection is smarter than I expected—it avoids cords, shoes, and even my dog’s toys without getting tangled up.” — Logan R. Jamieson, verified owner
“It will push shoes and other objects across the floor.” — Stephen Ray, verified owner (from Plus 405 review, similar behavior expected)
The consensus: clear your floors before running for best results.
Who Should Buy the Roomba Plus 504
- Single-floor homeowners who want reliable, hands-off vacuuming
- Pet owners dealing with daily fur on mixed surfaces
- Upgraders from older Roombas (960, i-series) who want modern LiDAR and self-emptying
- Busy households who value the 75-day dock capacity
- iRobot loyalists who prefer staying in the ecosystem
- Sale shoppers who can grab it under $400 during Prime Day or holiday sales
Who Should Skip the Roomba Plus 504
- Multi-story homes—no multi-floor map storage means re-mapping every time
- Large floor plans (1500+ sq ft)—battery/resume issues may cause incomplete cleans
- Low-furniture homes—the LiDAR turret won’t fit under couches and beds like older models
- Tech-frustrated users—the app learning curve is steep and documentation is poor
- Budget buyers—Roborock offers more features for less money
- Mop-needing households—this is vacuum-only; consider the Plus 405 for combo cleaning
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Roomba Plus 504 work with Alexa and Google Home?
Yes. Multiple owners confirm voice control works for starting, stopping, and docking the vacuum. You can say “Alexa, tell Roomba to clean” or set up Google Home routines.
How loud is the self-emptying dock?
Loud—but brief. Owners describe it as “like a jet taking off” or comparable to a regular vacuum, but it only lasts 10-15 seconds. The robot itself is quieter than older Roombas during normal operation.
Can I use the Roomba Plus 504 on multiple floors?
Technically yes, but it won’t save separate maps. You’d need to re-map each floor every time you move it, which defeats the purpose of smart mapping. For multi-floor homes, look at higher-tier models or consider buying two units.
How long do the dust bags last?
iRobot claims 75 days for typical use. Pet owners report 30-45 days with heavy shedding. You’ll need to buy replacement bags—they’re proprietary iRobot bags, not generic.
Is the Roomba Plus 504 worth it over the Plus 405?
The Plus 504 is vacuum-only; the Plus 405 adds mopping with spinning pads and an AutoWash dock. If you have mostly hard floors and want mopping, the 405 is worth the upgrade. If you’re carpet-heavy or don’t need mopping, the 504 saves money and complexity.
What’s the difference between the 504 and older i-series Roombas?
The main upgrades are LiDAR navigation (faster, more accurate mapping), the redesigned self-emptying dock, quieter operation, and improved carpet boost. Multiple owners upgrading from i6/i7 models call it “100 times better.”
The Rating
- Reliability: 7/10 (Mostly solid, but app bugs and occasional navigation hiccups knock it down)
- Comfort: 9/10 (The 75-day dock means genuinely forgetting about floor cleaning)
- Quirkiness: 5/10 (The multi-floor limitation is an unexpected quirk that catches buyers off-guard)
Final verdict: The iRobot Roomba Plus 504 is a strong single-floor vacuum that delivers on the core promise—reliable cleaning with minimal intervention. The LiDAR mapping works, the self-emptying dock is genuinely life-changing for pet owners, and the cleaning performance satisfies the vast majority of owners. The app needs work, the multi-floor limitation is frustrating, and power users may want more features—but for the target audience? No yeah, this one actually works.
